The Image Fit Myth of Events and Destinations

Events have become increasingly important as image builders and tourism catalysts for host destinations. Focus has been placed on obtaining high levels of image fit between an event and its host destination, in order to garner long-term image benefits, and increase revisit intentions. The aim of this article is to empirically explore for the first time values of low-fit image pairings between events and a destination on tourist revisit intentions. The findings of two events reveal that a perceived low-fit image pairing between event and destination increased revisit intentions for event tourists who had visited the destination before. Oppositely, a perceived high-fit pairing between event and destination increased revisit intentions for event tourists who had never visited the destination before.